WMATA to test future station concepts at Bethesda Station

As part of its strategic plan, Momentum, the model station will enable WMATA to test several design concepts in a single station, with improved lighting, better information and improved customer convenience.

As an underground station with a center platform design, Bethesda represents the hardest type of station to illuminate, making it an ideal location for the "model station" pilot.

Some of the concepts being considered include:

• High-output light fixtures to direct light to the vault ceiling.

• A new, anti-slip zone located at the bottom of the entrance escalators to serve as a transition between the escalators and station tiles.

• A new, thinner kiosk with digital panels for service information and new fare gates with next-generation technology for faster entry and exit.

• New, redesigned, taller pylons with wayfinding signage, real-time arrival information and additional lighting located on four wings extending from the top of each pylon.

"I want to extend my sincere appreciation to WMATA for selecting Bethesda as the pilot for its station environment improvement program," said Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett. "Bethesda has the one of the highest daily riderships of any WMATA station in Montgomery County along the oldest WMATA line and it is showing its age. As the gateway to Bethesda, one of the most important economic engines for the state of Maryland, this project will ensure that this critical WMATA station continues to function well and present a favorable and attractive experience for all riders."